In 2020, Juan Antonio Ferre began a pilot project. He began marketing a Spanish organic fruit and vegetable assortment under a new label: Fair by Nature. It has its very own mission: 100% Organic, 100% Fair, and 100% Climate-neutral. Recently Frank de Graaff - with years of experience in organic trade - joined the company. These two men now form Fair by Nature's commercial team.
"Have you heard about a Dutchman and a Spaniard in a field with broccoli?" asks Frank, laughing. "It's crazy." They have an unusual partnership. "In recent years, I'd built close relationships with mainly Spanish, but also some French and Latin American organic growers," says Juan Antonio.
"I can, thus, provide our European customers with the very best organic products from those regions. Frank has a lot of experience in marketing the overseas organic range and also with growers from (South) Africa and the Netherlands."
"That combination means we complement each other well as a team. So, we can offer our clients throughout Europe a great assortment of organic produce. This meets all Fair by Nature's quality standards," he adds.
The different citrus varieties, especially limes, lemons, and oranges, are the label's top products. The company imports as much of this as it can under its own label. Several growers in the Murcia area [Spain] are currently packing lemons and oranges under this brand.
Fair by Nature also has a range of Spanish vegetables. This includes celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and some lesser-known products. "We regularly visit growers in their fields and clients. We can then respond directly to market developments and keep up with all the trends."
"For instance, Aloe Vera is a fantastic plant, for which there's still limited demand. But I think this hyper-healthy plant is booming. And we have the correct lines for an organic grower in Spain. We're ready to roll," says Juan Antonio.
Banding machine
Fair by Nature recently gained access to a banding machine. It can, therefore, now package its products 100% plastic-free. The machine bands cardboard labels around high-quality cardboard boxes. Those can be custom-printed.
No bees, no food
"We compensate 100% of our organic fruit and vegetable's transport CO2 emissions. That's from source to destination. Not everyone knows that yet. And that's why we're so enthusiastic about our concept. Also, bees are vital for fruit and vegetable cultivation. Most of our produce is grown in Spain. So, we've partnered with Fundación Amigos de las Abejas, a Spanish bee project. They build and maintain beehives in Cuenca and Guadalajara."
"Bee pollination guarantees a whopping 84% of European fruits and vegetable farming. Unfortunately, bee populations - and therefore our food production - are under pressure. That's due to things like climate change and the use of pesticides. We believe that, by supporting bees, we're protecting agriculture and horticulture. And, therefore, our future," Juan Antonio explains.
"Last year, our compensation program helped more than 555,000 bees. This is how we try to do our part to contribute to the future positively. And to be 'Fair to Nature'."
The Fair by Nature team values a personal approach and good cooperation with permanent growers. They also believe in a healthy and honest business model. That is why practically all their growers are already GRASP and Smeta certified.
"The products are grown with love. It's in the growers' nature. Juan' El Señor FbN' is in Spain, and Frank, the experienced 'Mr. Organic' is in the Netherlands. So, we make a strong case for a thriving synergy between grower and customer," Juan Antonio concludes.
For more information:
Fair by Nature
Juan Antonio Ferre
Tel: +34 (0) 628 548 837
Email: ja.ferre@fairbynature.com
Frank de Graaff
Tel: +31 (0) 623 924 872
Email: f.degraaff@fairbynature.com
Website: www.fairbynature.com